Wild Republic – For the Conscious Consumer

Sustainability is all the rage these days and it’s starting to impact our shopping habits, especially when it comes to buying homeware and things to beautify our everyday spaces. And rightly so. As we become more aware of our roles and responsibilities to take better care of each other and the environment, we are moving away from a culture of ‘fast homeware’. This is why we love local brand Wild Republic which shares a passion for ethically sourced and sustainable goods.

Grab a cuppa and let us introduce you to the team behind Wild Republic.

Say hi to Tarryn

Taryn is the founder of Wild Republic! Together with her husband Morne and two cats – Nacho and Sadie – she lives in Cape Town. Furthermore, Taryn is a self-proclaimed serious foodie, with a boep to match. She loves travelling, trying out new restaurants and having braais with friends and family. Her background is in law, having worked in the corporate world for over a decade. However, with an innate creative passion, Tarryn launched a boldly designed homeware range with a ‘beach meets jungle’ theme.

After scouring the internet for suppliers, she became disheartened by the idea of importing cheap goods from China and the like. Tarryn explains: “I decided that I did not want to be a part of the ‘fast homeware’ movement. Homeware is an industry that has boomed in recent years, since the pandemic which created greater investment in the home environment. As the industry has grown, so has a new problem – fast homeware. While there is a focus on the fast fashion industry and its impact on the environment and factory workers, the fast homeware industry has flown under the radar. This is why I decided to start Wild Republic – a platform to assist conscious consumers in discovering ethical brands within the homeware industry.”

Supporting Craftsmen

Wild Republic is a curated store that aims to support craftsmen with beautiful and sustainable homeware and gifts. The team looks for suppliers that produce quality products, put fair wages above profits, and make an environment and/or social impact.

“We hand-select each product to ensure that it is boldly designed and ethically made while remaining reasonably priced. In addition to supporting our awesome suppliers, our store is focused on our love of nature. Nature is represented by our brand ambassador, Murph the Monkey. Murph thanks you for your efforts in leading a more eco-friendly life and saving him from a world without coconuts.”

What do you have on offer?

Well, at Wild Republic you can have your choice of gorgeous Turkish towels, vessels and more. Let’s have a closer look…

Wild Republic – Turkish Towels

Wild Republic Turkish towels are hand woven in Turkey, using 100% organic cotton, making them super soft and very absorbent. These towels weigh only 300g and roll into a tiny ball, making these the perfect travel companion. Great as beach towels, bath towels, sarongs, throws and scarves – the choice is yours. They are quick drying, meaning you will never have to dry yourself using a soggy towel again. Furthermore, they come in seven gorgeous designs and Wild Republic plans to expand its range very soon to include further designs as well as hand towels and throw blankets.

Wild Republic – Vessels

Wild Republic’s vases are sourced from Eswatini and are made from paper pulp created from upcycled magazines. Our supplier, Quazi Design, was born out of a partnership between a designer and a local magazine distributor to create much-needed employment in Eswatini. They focus on developing new and innovative techniques using only waste paper and want to change the perception of upcycled materials. Here waste magazines and newspapers are transformed into original designs, using only their hands and the sun’s rays. Quazi Design adheres to fair trade principles and uplifts the women artisans in their community. Their paper pulp vessels are simple yet gorgeous as a decorative piece, either on its own or filled with dried flowers or fruit depending on the vessel.